Support structure



Jan. 7, 1964 R. A. NIEKAMP 3,116,542

SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD A. NIEKAMP W f W H15 ATTORNEYS United States Patent cc Filed Dec. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 857,327 4 Claims. (Cl. 29163.5)

This invention relates to support structure. The invention relates more particularly to a method for operation upon sheet material. The invention relates still more particularly to a method for providing sheet material with a plurality of apertured protuberances and recesses. The invention relates still more particularly to a method for forming support structure from a sheet of material such as steel or the like.

Peg boards have been used for the support of various types of objects. These peg boards consist of panels, boards, sheets of material and the like which are provided with spaced-apart apertures or holes. For support of objects by the peg board, hangers of any suitable type are used which have stems or fingers insertable through the holes in the peg board. The hangers may be moved from one location to another, as desired, in order to have the hangers at a location desired for the support of a particular object.

It has been found that such peg boards which are made of wood or of material of the plastics class or the like are not satisfactorily durable. Usually the material around the edges of the holes becomes damaged from frequent insertion of the hanger stems through the holes. Frequently other portions of peg boards made of such materials are damaged.

Attempts have been made to provide peg boards from sheets of steel material. In order to provide a desired thickness to such peg boards made of sheet steel and in order to provide a certain stiflfness and rigidity to the sheet steel, protuberances or recesses have been formed in the sheet material. However, it has been found that the forming of such recesses or protuberances has caused a great deal of objectionable distortion of the sheet material.

Another requirement in a peg board is that the holes in the peg board must be accurately spaced apart so that spaced-apart stems or fingers of the hangers can be easily inserted therethrough.

An object of this invention is to provide a method for forming a peg board type of support structure from a sheet of material such as steel or the like which material can be punched and bent or drawn.

Another object is to provide such a method which is capable of forming a plurality of apertured recesses or protuberances in such a sheet of material without otherwise distorting the sheet of material.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a method which can be easily and readily performed.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional View showing a portion of an apparatus of this invention with the parts thereof in movement one toward the other for performing an operation upon a sheet of material which is disposed therebetween.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG- URE 1 but showing the parts in another operating position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES 1 and 2 but showing the parts in still another position of operation.

3,115,542 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of material formed by an apparatus and method of this invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 4 shows a sheet of material 16 in which a plurality of holes or apertures 18 are formed according to the method of this invention. Surrounding each of the holes or apertures 18 is a tapered protuberance 20. Of course, if the sheet of material 16 is viewed from the reverse side, each of the holes 18 is surrounded by a recess rather than a protuberance, which may also be referred to by reference numeral 20.

Preferably, apertured protuberances are formed in rows, with each row being formed separately. A first row 22 of apertured protuberances is shown. First, the holes 18 are formed in the row 22 and then the material around each hole 18 is bent to form a recess or protuberance 20 around the hole.

Immediately following the forming of the protuberances in the row 22, a slot or notch 24 is cut at opposite edge portions of the sheet 16 in advance of the row 22. The notches 24 are open at the edge of the sheet and are in the position or" the next row 26 of apertures 18 and protuberances 29 to be formed. Thus, after the notches 24 are cut in the row 26 of the apertures 18 and the protuberances 26 are formed in the row 26.

It has been found that when the protuberances 20 are formed in the row, such as row 26, the material in the row and the material adjacent the row is moved so that the width of the notches 24 is decreased. It has been learned that when notches are cut in the sheet material before a row of protuberances is formed in alignment therewith or substantially in alignment therewith, no objectional distortion in the sheet occurs. Thus, the notches, such as the notches 24 and 27, permit shortening of the length of the sheet 16 without distortion thereto, as the protuberances 20, in effect, increase the thickness and rigidity of the sheet 16.

Thus, immediately following the forming of the apertures 18 and the protuberances 20 in the row 26, notches 27 are formed in a row 29 which is immediately in advance of the row 26. Therefore, when apertures and protuberances are formed in the row 29 the notches 27 are slightly closed to substantially the size of the notches 24 as shown.

The rows of apertures and protuberances, such as the rows 22 and 26, may be of any desired length extending across the sheet 16. Usually, apertured protuberances are provided in almost the entire area of a sheet of ma terial in the forming of a support structure. 7

The height of the protuberances 2t! and the size of the apertures 18 may be any suitable practical amount, as desired. The minimum initial width of the notches, such as the width of the notches 27 is so determined that the notches do not completely close when the protuberances 20 are formed in alignment therewith, as shown by notches 24 in row 26. The amount that the sheet 16 is shortened in length during the forming of the protuberances therein is dependent upon the height of the protuberances.

FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 show portions of an apparatus which is adapted to be used to carry out the method discussed above.

The apparatus comprises an upper support structure or head member 30 to which is rigidly attached block members 32, 34, 36, and 38. A plurality of reciprocally movable rod members 40 support a plate member 42. The rod members 40 are limited in their downward movement by means not shown within the head member 30. Spring members 46 engage the head 36 and the plate 42, urging the plate 42 in a direction from the head 39. The block 36 has a cutter member 54) which is disposed in a slot 52 in the plate 42. Under normal conditions, as shown in FIGURE 1, the lower edge of the cutter member 50 is flush with the lower surface of the plate 42.

Retained within the block 38 by a set screw 56 is a punch 58 having a body 60. An upper forming die 62 is also disposed in the block 38 and encompasses the punch 58. The upper forming die 62 has a tapered conical recess 64. The punch 58 is disposed in the recess 64 and also extends slightly below the plane of the lower surface of the plate 42.

Within the block 38 and adjacent the forming die 62 is a depression 68.

Disposed below the upper support member or head 30 and the elements carried thereby is a lower support member 70. The support members 30 and 70 are relatively movable toward and away from each other. Herein the support member 30 is shown as being movable with respect to support member 70. A block 72 and a block 74 are firmly attached to the support member 70.

The block 72 has a hole or solt 76 which is in alignment with the cutter member 50 carried by the upper support member so that the cutter member 50 is slidably movable into the hole or slot 76. Thus, the block 72 serves as a cutter member in cooperation with the cutter member 50. The block 74 carries a lower forming die 80, conical in form. The forming die 80 is in alignment with and is complementary to the conical recess 64 of the upper forming die 62. The lower forming die 80 has a hole 32 therein at substantially the center thereof, adapted to receive the punch 58.

The block 74 also slidably carries a locating pin 84 which is reciprocally axially movable toward and away from the depression 68 of the block 38 and is in alignment therewith. The locating pin 84 is urged toward the block 38 by a spring 86.

Adjacent each of the blocks 72 and 74 is a block 88 into which is threaded a rod 20, as shown in FIGURE 2. The rods 90 are axially movable as they are carried by the lower support structure 70. Encircling each rod 90 is a spring 92 which resiliently supports its respective block 88. Each spring 92 extends downwardly into a recess 96 in the lower support member 70 as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, each block 88 is movable toward and away from the lower support structure 70, the rods 90 acting as guide members for movement of the blocks 88.

It is to be understood that the apparatus shown in FIG- URES 1, 2, and 3 has a plurality of the elements described so that rows of apertures 18 and protuberances 2t and pairs of notches 24 and 27 can be formed thereby.

FIGURE 1 shows the blocks 88 supporting the sheet 16. As the sheet 16 is shown in FIGURE 1, the apparatus has just punched holes 18 and protuberances 20 in the row 22 which are shown in FIGURE 4. The notches 24 have also been formed and the sheet 16 has been moved slightly from left to right, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Since under normal conditions the support members 30 and 70 are farther apart than shown in FIGURE 1, the sheet 16 can be moved from left to right until a hole 18 is approximately in alignment with the locating pin 84. In order to accurately position one row of holes 18 and protuberances 20 from another row thereof, the locating pin 84 is used. The locating pin 84 is urged by the spring 86 tomove through one of the holes 18 in the row 22. Thus, the distance from one row of holes 18 to an adjacent row is accurately established.

The head 30 is shown moving downwardly in FIG- URES l and 2 in the operation of forming apertures 18 and protuberances 20 in the row 26, shown in FIGURE 4. Also, in the same downward stroke of the upper support member 30, the notches 27 will be formed in the row 29.

The plate 42 engages the upper surface of the sheet 16 forcing the sheet 16 downwardly as the sheet 16 is resiliently supported by the blocks 88. First, the punch 58 is forced through the sheet 16, as shown in FIGURE 2. Then the sheet 16 is forced farther downwardly by the plate 42 until the forming dies and 62 come together and force a protuberance 20 in the sheet 16. As stated above, there are a series of punches 58 and forming dies 62 and 89 in the apparatus so that a row of apertured protuberances is formed upon each downward stroke of the head 30. As each protuberance 20 is formed the material of the sheet adjacent the protuberance is caused to move slightly. As stated above, removal of material from the sheet 16 to form the notches 24 provides spaces in the sheet 16 for movement of portions of the sheet in the row 26 without distortion of the sheet.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, the springs 46 of the upper structure, are heavier and larger than the springs 92 of the lower structure. Therefore, as the plate 42 presses downwardly upon the sheet 16 and forces the blocks 88 downwardly the springs 92 are compressed a maximum amount before increased compression of the springs 46 occurs. Thus, the protuberances in the row 26 are formed before the cutter member 50 penetrates the sheet 16. This is due to the fact that the cutter member 50 cannot penetrate the sheet 16 until the springs 46 are compressed beyond the amount shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the lower surface of the cutter member 50 is flush with the lower surface of the plate 42.

Thus, the lower surface of the cutter member 50 remains flush with the lower surface of the plate 42 until the compression of the springs 46 is increased by movement of the plate 42 toward the blocks 32, 36, and 38. This movement of the plate .2 permits the cutter member 50 to extend below the plate 42, as shown in FIGURE 3. Therefore, penetration of the sheet 16 by the cutter member 59 is the last action to occur as the support member 30 moves toward the support member 70. The cutter member 59 moves through the sheet 16 and into the slot or hole 76, as shown in FIGURE 3. As stated above, the apparatus shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 3 includes a plurality of elements such as the cutter members 50. There are two cutter members 50 positioned at opposite portions of the apparatus. Thus, a notch 27 is formed in opposite edges of the sheet 16 at the end of the downward stroke of the head 36. The sheet 16 is thus prepared for the forming of apertured protuberances in alignment with the notches 27 upon the next downward stroke of the head 30.

The method of this invention can also be carried out by first forming all of the desired notches in the edges of a sheet of material, followed by forming of the apertures, and protuberances. All of the notches may be formed simultaneously, followed by simultaneously forming all of the apertures and protuberances.

Therefore, it is understood that the apparatus and method of this invention provide means by which a sheet of material such as steel or the like can be formed into a sturdy rigid support structure of the peg board type. The method of this invention may also be used to provide protuberances or apertured protuberances in a sheet of steel or the like without otherwise distorting the sheet.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangements of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A method of providing a sheet of material with a plurality of spaced-apart apertured protuberances comprising forming a first row of spaced-apart apertures in the sheet, forcing the material of the sheet so that there is a tapered protuberance encompassing each aperture, punching a notch at the edge of the sheet in advance of said row of apertures, followed by punching a second row of apertures in alignment with said notch, forcing the material of the sheet so that there is a tapered protuberance encompassing each of the apertures in the second row thereof.

2. A method of providing a sheet of metal material with a plurality of spaced-apart apertures therein comprising punching a first 110W of apertures in the sheet, bending the metal material so that there is a tapered protuberance encompassing each of the apertures, punching a pair of notches so that the notches are at opposite edges of the sheet and adjacent said first row of apertures, followed by punching a second row of apertures in alignment with said notches, bending the metal material so that there is a tapered protuberance encompassing each of the apertures in the second row thereof, the notches permitting the metal material to be formed into protuberances encompassing each of the apertures without distorting the metal material at other portions than at the protuberances.

3. A method of forming a sheet of metallic material into support structure comprising carrying out in seriatim relation the punching of pairs of notches in opposite side edges of a sheet of material, followed by forming a row of apertures between each pair of notches, followed by forming the material surrounding each aperture into a protuberance, each pair of notches thus starting a row in which there are subsequently formed a plurality of apertured protuberances, each pair of notches being formed in a given row at substantially the same time that the apertured protuberances are formed in a succeeding row.

4. A method of forming a sheet of metallic material into support structure comprising carrying out a series of operations in which each operation includes establishing rows by the punching of a pair of notches in opposite edge portions of the sheet of material While simultaneously forming an aligned group of aperturcd protuberances between another pair of notches, each aligned group of apertured protuberances being formed between two notches which were formed in the immediately preceeding operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,468,271 Bechtel Sept. 18, 1923 1,489,251 Hothers all Apr. 8, 1924 2,201,316 McGee May 21, 1940 2,309,942 Ekstedt et al Feb. 2, 1943 2,360,724 Scholtz et al Oct. 17, 1944 2,716,802 Greer Sept. 6, 1955 2,834,392 Norton May 13, 1958 2,861,326 Bergstrom Nov. 25, 1958 

1. A METHOD OF PROVIDING A SHEET OF MATERIAL WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APART APERTURED PROTUBERANCES COMPRISING FORMING A FIRST ROW OF SPACED-APART APERTURES IN THE SHEET, FORCING THE MATERIAL OF THE SHEET SO THAT THERE IS A TAPERED PROTUBERANCE ENCOMPASSING EACH APERTURE, PUNCHING A NOTCH AT THE EDGE OF THE SHEET IN ADVANCE OF SAID ROW OF APERTURES, FOLLOWED BY PUNCHING A SECOND 